North Riverdale in the Bronx in Bronx County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Ella Fitzgerald
April 25, 1917 - June 15, 1996
| | The Hebrew Home at Riverdale by RiverSpring Health Site of the former Colored Orphan Asylum | |
Known as the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald was among the most popular performers in the U.S. from the late 1930s in the 1990s. After her mother's death in 1932, Fitzgerald was placed in the Colored Orphan Asylum, where she first sang in the children's choir. Despite her early struggles, in 1934, she won first prize at the Apollo Amateur Night, and joined drummer chick Webb's band soon after. Her breakthrough hit, a rendition of the nursery rhyme A-Tisket, A-Tasket (1938), remains a jazz classic; among her many hits were Oh, Lady be Good and Mack the Knife. Celebrated for her range, pure tone, and legendary scat singing, Fitzgerald sold over 40 million albums during her lifetime. Her songbook albums, Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and more are triumphs of this idiom. She received 14 Grammy awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1967), the Kennedy Center Honors (1979), the National Medal of Arts (1987), Presidential Medal of Freedom (1992), and more than a dozen honorary doctorates, including degrees from Yale (1986), Harvard (1990) and Princeton (1990).
Erected by Historic Landmark Preservation
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Women. In addition, it is included in the Grammy Award Winners, and the New York, New York City Historic Landmarks Preservation Center Cultural Medallions series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1932.
Location. 40° 54.628′ N, 73° 54.441′ W. Marker is in Bronx, New York, in Bronx County. It is in North Riverdale. It is on Palisade Avenue south of West 261st Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5901 Palisade Ave, Bronx NY 10471, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in New York City. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Vinmont Veteran Park
Another marker is no longer nearby. Memorial Grove (was approx. 1.4 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Carl Van Vechten (courtesy Library of Congress), January 19, 1940
3. Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald
Photograph shows Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), an African American, female jazz singer.
Click for more information.
Click for more information.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 15 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 28, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on June 28, 2026.
